3D Character: What software can I use to make my first?
Getting into 3D character modeling and printing can seem very hard for beginners, discouraged by the difficulty of software that exists today. To avoid this, we have prepared a list of the most popular beginner’s Software, very easy to use, intuitive, which will guide novices in their process of creation and printing.
Blender: The reference
Become an absolutely essential and excellent quality software. Blender is an complete free and open-source 3D character modeling suite, which also allows graphic designers and other creators to perform animation, 3D rendering photo-realistic, simulation, composition, motion tracking, or even video editing or video game creation.
Blender is often cited as one of the best software for expert cartoon enthusiasts. A software accessible to professionals as well as to initiated beginners. It can seem intimidating the first time you try to domain the basics. However, with a little motivation and the right teaching material, it will be possible to familiarize yourself with Blender after a few hours of practice.
Created and maintained by a Dutch foundation, Blender works equally well under Linux, Windows or Mac OS. It also has a very extensive library of extensions that allow you to add generators, modeling options, objects, scripts and options.
In our blog you will find an article for those beginners who are starting in the world of 3D character creation. Start taking your first steps in Blender with us!
Sketchup: The alternative
Formerly known as “Google Sketchup”, Sketchup is the free version of the 3D drawing suite now published by Trimble. Mainly designed for carrying out architectural or interior design drawings, Sketchup nevertheless adapts very well to all 3D modeling needs, whether for construction, carpentry, the design of industrial design objects, cinema, video games or 3D printing.
Extremely easy to learn thanks to its very intuitive interface which gives the impression of drawing with a pencil. Sketchup is much richer than it seems at first glance and offers many possibilities for design and modify 3D creations.
Unlike Blender, Sketchup is first and foremost modeling software and therefore does not basically allow photo-realistic 3D rendering or complex animations.
It does come with hundreds of extensions to download. However, Sketchup also offers a collection of community created 3D characters that you can import into your own render projects.
Leopoly: The most basic
Leopoly is an online application that can be used on PC or Mac as well as on a tablet, which allows you to model 3D objects and paint them directly from the browser. The app offers different tools for sculpting shapes from basic models, creating new shapes, or even simulating cube designs.
It was designed to meet the needs of the 3D printing market as well as virtual and augmented reality. The software offers several functionalities, it makes it possible to design a 3D character and to visualize it very easily in a 3D environment. The main function that interests us today is LeoShape: it is the software solution that allows the user to model his idea (from an already existing file or from scratch), to analyze it and to read it.
Which is the best 3D Character creator?
In short, there is no perfect software for everything and everyone. As you have been able to read in this post, each software adapts to the needs of each user profile. If you ask us, from our experience we recommend Blender due to the large amount of resources and possibilities it offers, even though it is a non-professional software. Without forgetting that it can be used by a professional or a person who is starting out in the 3D characters world.
Even so, any software is valid. Everything will depend on your needs.